December 21, 2014

Today, two of New York’s Finest were shot and killed, with no warning, no provocation. They were, quite simply, assassinated – targeted for their uniform, and for the responsibility they embraced: to keep the people of this city safe.

At approximately 2:47 PM today, Police Officer Wenjian Liu and Police Officer Rafael Ramos were assigned to a Critical Response Vehicle, CRVs as we refer to them, in the confines of the 79 Precinct.

While CRV is traditionally used for counterterrorism operations, this past May we also assigned some vehicles to Housing Developments throughout the city, Developments that has seen an increase in violence in the early part of the year, like the Tompkins Houses where the officers were stationed.

While sitting in a marked NYPD police car, in full uniform, both were ambushed and murdered in front of 98 Tompkins Avenue in the Bedford Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, New York City.

Both officers are assigned to 84 Precinct, but were posted at this location as part of a Department crime reduction strategy to address the complaints of violence in the area of the Housing Developments in that area. Officer Ramos was in the driver seat, and Officer Liu was in the front passenger seat beside him.

According to witness statements, the suspect, who has been identified as 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Brinsley, walked up to the police car. He took a shooting stance on the passenger side and fired his weapon several times through the front passenger window striking both officers in the head.

Officer Liu and Officer Ramos never had the opportunity to draw their weapons. They may never have actually seen their assailant, their murderer.

My deepest sympathy to the families and friends and colleagues of these officers. Their line-of-duty deaths will trigger the Public Safety Officers Act for which I am out of date but once upon a time administered by FEMA and now for several decades DoJ!

Perhaps some reader of this blog is more knowledgeable or could post a link to this important law with a discussion of it.

The Fallen Fighter Fighters memorial is maintained at the NETC/National Fire Academy campus of FEMA in Emmitsburg, MD!

Thanks Bill for this Public Safety Officers Act which many of us do not know about and will read about as so many of us are outraged and for those of us who have had a friend, good men, family men committed to the community in every way and who has been gunned down in the past as police officer, so many memories and such outrage over this divisiveness spewed and now we see Ms. Hillary stepping into the same conveyance in theme when in fact this nation voted (twice) a Black President….

….and many have interracial families today in this 21st century and are aghast at all this crap being tossed around by the likes of Bill Ayers and Barry Obama and their WH pal, good ‘ol Al and others including the illustrious AG using the Justice Department’s reputation when officers are being gunned down in cold blood while protecting everyone no matter the p[pigment of skin…How dare these anarchists?

A Justice Department and its respected credibility being used as a pawn to carry forward an agenda which another breaking news, an officer with six children and more blood on the hands of the anarchists leading this country from the White House down, “entrusted” by oath to Constitution and lawless themselves in their ways….:a breach of faith, treason we shout!

Here’s some more blood of a terrific man, husband, police officer dedicated to all of us on “Main Street USA” slain while Barry Obama and DHS permits convicts to be released on the streets to walk among us and permits know terrorists to return to enemy lines and GITMO to be closed for Barry and Castro to assure such closing and here more truly sad news:

Florida Cop Shot and Killed

A Florida officer stationed in Tarpon Springs was shot and killed over Sunday night. He has been identified as Charles Kondek, a 17-year veteran who also served in the NYPD.

Kondek, 45, was responding to a police call made around 2 a.m. Police did not provide any information about the call or the suspect, who was apprehended after he crashed his vehicle into a pole when he fled the crime scene.

The shooting occurred less than 24 hours after two NYPD officers were shot in Brooklyn amidst rising anti-police sentiment.

First, as a retired NYPD Lieutenant, father of an NYPD Police Cadet, brother and brother in law to several NYPD officers, and friend and colleague to hundreds of NYPD officers, my condolences to the families of P.O. Rafael Ramos and P.O. Wenjian Liu and my NYPD family. My NYPD family is in mourning.

Second, please read the following NYPD Confidential post that provides an excellent analysis of the current situation: http://nypdconfidential.com/

Third, I have never been so sorry that I was right. I and others predicted that the wanton anti-police lawless that was tolerated and even promoted (tacitly or otherwise) by elected officials would directly/indirectly result in the murder of NYPD officers.

Two separate Grand Jury decisions to not indict police officers in cases involving the use of force that resulted in the deaths of two individuals while in police custody has resulted in mostly lawful protests, acts of peaceful civil disobedience, and some significant unlawful protests that called for the deaths of police officers, violence, and criminal mischief. IMHO, the murders of P.O. Ramos and P.O. Liu are the result of misguided anti-police sentiment.

IMHO,the barbarous murderer of P.O. Ramos and P.O. Liu likely suffered from some mental health issues. A disproportionate number of criminals have mental health issues. IMHO, it is also likely that Michael Brown and Eric Gardner (the men who died in police custody in the predicate GJ cases) suffered from mental health issues for no sane person would resist the police in the manner that they did so. Empathically IMHO, both Michael Brown and Eric Gardner unlawfully and insanely resisted arrest.

In the simplest of terms, in both cases, a Grand Jury decided that there was not sufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal action against the involved officer. That is our criminal justice system at work and not the court of public opinion.

An absence of leadership –

The Mayor of New York city shared with the media his concern for his biracial son at the hands of the NYPD.

Let me share you with you my concerns for son and daughter. First, when my son entered high school I told him to be a good person and to avoid any activity that might result in a negative encounter with the police. If he was encountered by the police, he should be at all times respectful and comply with their instructions. Second, I told my daughter who attended the same high school as the Mayor’s son to do the same. As she took two trains through high crime areas, I told her to aware of her surroundings and to always be alert to signs of danger. BTW, my father gave me the same advice when I took two trains to high school in NYC.

The Attorney General of the U.S. shared with the people of Ferguson that he did came to visit them not only as the AG, but as an African-American who was likely racially profiled by the police. The A.G. wields enormous power and prestige, because he (and soon to be she) is the A.G., not because of his/her race and/or any grievances (legitimate/otherwise) that he/she may have against the police.

The Mayor’s and A.G. actions were divisive. Leaders are leaders of all not some.

Above all else, this is a time to heal. My prayers and tears are many.

God Bless each and every law enforcement officer, the 800,000+ men and women who protect everyone from criminal and strive to enforce laws and enable folks and families to live in peace and freely and certainly dedicate themselves to the community no matter the pigment of skin. How dare these elected leaders incite using the race card?

The following has been circulating around the internet and it is troubling, however because we do not know what is fact and not factual, maybe those far more educated and enlightened and having the capability to investigate and substantiate or not, the following:

The race card and this ongoing theme in divisiveness from Cambridge (MA) and onward, the intentional ambition of Barry Obama? As elders, we do not know, however we do know that the NYPD and our local police departments and those with badge and so dedicated, the first and only to respond to our desperate 911 calls and to our medical emergencies no matter address and no matter ethnic or other background, enough is enough and it is time that folks counter all this racial divide by the facts that crime is down in New York and in many other cities and these “civil rights ambulance chasers” have no regard for our Judeo-Christian principals or our Constitution or America.

Kindly fact check the following circulating around the internet as most likely having no basis, however to those more educated and able to investigate the following: fact check pls –

God Bless each and every police officer whether with the NYPD or the local police department and – thank you – for your service and being available to assure that laws will be enforced, not allowing folks to be lawless evidently much like our politicians….

I find the death of these two officers distressing. Obviously the man shot them had mental issues exasparated by recent events. To get a better picture of the number of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, I suggest looking at the FBI’s recently released statistics, 2013 Law Enforcement Officers Killed & Assaulted at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/leoka/2013.
Lastly, I would just like to say, as the mother of two boys, what happened to Michael Brown was a tragedy for everyone. We mothers of young teenage boys know how their brains often fail to function rationally. They tend to not have what we call the ‘risk’ or ‘fear’ hormone which can make their behavior very risky. (Which is why the military likes to recruit them for war.) Can we as a society, take a deep breath before we create one more tragedy?